Big Nate: Strikes Again
Big Nate Strikes Again is the sequel to Big Nate In a Class by Himself and the second book overall in the Big Nate series. Sypnosis Nate gets paired up with Gina in a class project, much to their dismay. Meanwhile, in the side plot, Nate is a captain of his own fleeceball team for the SPOFFs, which includes Gina, trying to win the Spoffy against Randy Betancourt. Plot The story starts off with Nate, Francis, and Teddy in front of a bulletin board. Nate and Teddy laugh about Francis' baby picture and Francis retaliates by saying that Nate's picture involves him putting a square peg in a circle hole. Teddy says the baby is ugly much to Nate's dismay. Nate tells the readers that the bulletin board is a P.S 38 Education Board. Nate tells through a comic how the board came to be. Back in P.S 38, Nate and Francis ask Teddy about his picture but he states that they have to try and find it. Nate decides to look for someone else's picture and finds it exclaiming it to be Jenny. However, Gina comes up and takes the photo off and turns it around. It says Gina on it revealing the baby to be Gina, not Jenny! this really embarrased Nate. The bell rings and Mrs, Godfrey states that they have new seats. Nate ends up in a seat right in front of Gina. Mrs. Godfrey later announces that there's a class project. Nate, Teddy, and Francis immediately run up and ask if they can work in a group. Mrs. Godfrey replies no saying it's a paired project. Nate then makes a comic about the five people he doesn't want to end up with. Jenny and Arthur and Francis and Teddy become partners to his dismay. Nate's name then comes up and he is paired with Megan. However, she is absent because she is getting her tonsils removed so Mrs. Godfrey picks another name and reads the name. It was Gina! Nate and Gina scream so hard that Mrs. Godfrey hears and asks what's wrong. Gina says that there is no problem, but Nate tells her that they don't want to work together. Mrs. Godfrey says that she thinks they will be wonderful partners. In the next chapter, Nate complains to Teddy and Francis after class. Gina overhears and tells Nate grades and life are the same thing, strangles Nate, and tells him the topic is Benjamin Franklin. Nate is annoyed, but suddenly realizes that today was the posting of the S.P.O.F.F (Sports Played Only For Fun) Captain's List for Fleeceball! Nate, Francis, and Teddy fastwalk toward the hall and Nate goes up to it. He's a captain. Nate then promises to pick Francis and Teddy for his team unless another captain dosen't pick them first. Soon, Randy Betancourt and his posse comes up and cheers because he is a captain and insults Nate. Nate then shows Randy what the true part of being a captain is. He says you've got to be able to out-think your opponent, demonstrating by opening his locker and burying Randy in junk! In the next chapter, Nate is shown sneaking around in the library and says he is hiding from Randy who wants revenge. He also says that in Science, they were doing a boring experiment. He customizes his car to the Batmobile and makes a Batman mask.Mr. Galvin catches him messing around and sends him to the library and says to come see him after the bell. Nate is happy beacuse the bully wouldn't be able to find him. Nate jumps on the nearest beanbag chair but the librarian said that he has to work on something. Nate starts doing research for Benjamin Franklin and finds out that he was pretty cool like him. Nate writes up a comic but the bell rings. He goes to Science where Mr. Galvin starts chewing him out. Nate then remembers that he has to choose teammates for Fleecball. Nate says he learned his lesson and runs away. He reaches the coach who informs that the meeting is over but Nate is still captain and the coach picked his players. Nate sees the list. He has Francis and Teddy on his team! And so is Gina! After school, Nate, Francis, and teddy are walking and talking in front of Nate's house. Francis asks what the team name is and Nate reveals he doesn't have one yet. Nate reassures his friends by saying he will tell the Coach before homeroom. He says his goodbyes and goes inside his house. The phone rings while Nate is looking for a snack. Ellen picks it up but it's for Nate. Nate jumps to conclusions thinking it's Jenny but it is Gina. Nate's dad comes in and Nate mentions Mrs. Godfrey. Ellen goes blabbbermouth so Nate goes to his room and starts thinking for a team name. Spitsy distracts him but Nate gets an idea for his name: The Psycho Dogs! The next day, Chad warns Nate that Randy is looking for him by the tetherball pole. Nate doesn't worry saying Playground Patrol wouldn't let Randy do anything but Coach John is on duty! Nate then runs inside P.S 38 with Randy following. They run into Principal Nichols who aks what is going on. Nate quickly says he wants to do research on Benjamin Franklin in the Computer lab. Randy follows suit. Principal Nichols asks a question which Nate answers. Randy is escorted outside. Nate writes another comic as the bell rings. In Art, Francis reminds Nate if he talked to Coach. Nate says no and starts worrying. He goes inside Coach's Office and wonders if he can tell him his team name. Coach states that Gina already named their team before homeroom. Nate looks at the name and walks away gloomily. They're now known as the Kuddle Kittens. Nate says he doesn't care and vows to get revenge. In lunch, he gets two scoops of egg salad and walks over to Gina's table planning to dump it on Gina but trips and the egg salad falls on Jenny! Jenny storms off madly, saying to Nate "IDIOT!" Francis and Teddy tease him but Nate doesn't care. They decide to play the Scribble Game after Nate tells them the origin of the team name "Kuddle Kittens." Artur comes over and beats Nate's Scribble Drawing as the bell rings. Artur walks with Nate stating their team is playing against Nate's team. After school, Gina tells Nate that she named the team after her toy cat that says will you rum my tummy? The game keeps going on until it is 9-8, Kuddle Kittens losing. Nate gets two foul balls and then swings the broom handle. Two days later, Nate, Ellen, and Nate's Dad are eating broccoli with chesse sauce. Nate is excused and he takes off his clothes in the bathroom. He goes inside the shower saying he was gonna hit the ball if it hadn't been for Gina. Two days before, Nate swings the broom handle but Gina's cat says "Will You Rub My Tummy?" and he gets strike three, causing hem to lose. Nate gets relay angry at gina. The final score is Killer Bess: 9 and Kuddle Kittens: 8. Back in present, Nate gets out of the shower and wraps a towek around his waist. He goes to his room and opens a drawer. Nate then shouts for his dad saying he can't find (walks downstairs) any clean under-(Gina is standing there!)-wear. Nate quickly changes into clothes and snaps at Gina. Gina and Nate compare notes but Gina states that there will be no comics in her reports. Nate says that they are partners. Gina says that she will do all the work and put both of their names on it. Nate says that Gina can't play in fleeceball. The next chapter, Poor Nate's Almancak, the almanac says that there is only one game left. Nate vs. Randy! Principal Nichols tells Nate that he can't sell anything on school property. Teddy and Nate pick up the table and head to the cafeteria. Trivia Category:Books